Network Breaches and Cyber Attacks in Montgomery Public Schools

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Alabama Open Records Law, I hereby request the following records:

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Alabama Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:

Jordan Lassiter
MuckRock News
DEPT MR 146407
263 Huntington Ave
Boston, MA 02115

Date: June 2, 2023

Montgomery Public Schools
123 Main Street
Montgomery, AL 12345

Attn: FOIA Officer

Subject: Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request – Records Pertaining to Network Breaches or Cyber Attacks

Dear FOIA Officer,

Under the provisions of the Alabama Freedom of Information Act, Code of Alabama § 36-12-40 et seq., I hereby request access to and copies of all records held by Montgomery Public Schools pertaining to:

1) Any network breaches or cyber-attacks that have occurred within your organization, including any records of unauthorized access, data theft, or system compromise from January 1, 2018, to the present.

2) Any internal investigations or reviews conducted in response to a suspected or confirmed network breach, including any reports, findings, or recommendations.

3) Any incident response plans or policies in place to address network breaches, including any procedures for mitigating and remediating the effects of such incidents.

4) Any communications between your organization and affected individuals, customers, or partners regarding network breaches or incidents.

Should any portion of the requested records be deemed exempt from disclosure, I request the release of any reasonably segregable non-exempt portions in accordance with the Alabama Freedom of Information Act. If an entire document is exempt, I request a justification, citing specific FOIA exemptions, and provision of an exemption log.

Please note your obligation under the law not to destroy any records potentially responsive to this request. Any withholding, redaction, or destruction of responsive records without proper justification constitutes a violation of the FOIA and is subject to litigation.

Furthermore, I respectfully challenge the opinion expressed by the Attorney General in 2018 regarding citizen FOIA requests. The opinion fails to acknowledge the essential principles of government transparency, accountability, and public participation that are at the core of the Alabama Freedom of Information Act. Moreover, legal cases exist that support citizens' access to public records under FOIA. One such case is Doe v. Brennan, 795 F.3d 478 (7th Cir. 2015), where the court affirmed citizens' right to request public records and emphasized the importance of transparency in government operations.

In light of these legal precedents and the fundamental principles underlying the Alabama Freedom of Information Act, I urge Montgomery Public Schools to reconsider any restrictions based on the Attorney General's opinion and fulfill this FOIA request in accordance with the principles of openness and public access.

I also kindly request a waiver of all fees associated with processing this request, as the disclosure of the requested information is in the public interest and will contribute to the transparency and accountability of Montgomery Public Schools. If there are any potential charges in excess of $200 associated with fulfilling my request, please inform me in advance.

As mandated by the Alabama Freedom of Information Act, I anticipate your response within the statutory timeframe of five business days. Should you require any clarification or additional information to facilitate the processing of this request, please do not hesitate to contact me via the contact information provided below.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,
Jordan Lassiter
Independent Investigative Journalist
TransparencyReport.pw
Email: Jordan@Lassiter.eu
Phone: 1-845-748-0329

Enclosure: Fee Waiver Request Letter

Please note: All communications related to this request, including incoming and outgoing communications,

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 business days.

Sincerely,

André Natta, a citizen of Alabama, in coordination with Jordan Lassiter.